Playful people handled pandemic stress better than others

New research suggests that a playful mindset can be instrumental during difficult times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Individuals who score high on a playfulness scale exhibit stronger resilience compared to less playful counterparts.

The findings indicate that this resource is essential to maintaining well-being and facing adversity.

The power of playfulness

The research, conducted by researchers at Oregon State University (OSU), offers profound insights into how playful people navigate adversity.

The research may ultimately guide the development of strategies and interventions aimed at helping individuals handle stress and uncertainty.

These findings are timely, given the increasing global challenges that demand both a realistic assessment and creative adaptation.

Xiangyou “Sharon” Shen of the OSU Health, Environment, and Leisure Research Lab (HEAL) is the study’s lead author.

“Understanding how playful people navigate adversity can inform interventions and strategies to help people cope with stress and uncertainty,” said Shen.

“They shared similar perceptions of risk and protective factors as their less playful peers, but demonstrated greater optimism when envisioning future possibilities, engaged in more creative problem solving, and managed to infuse quality and enjoyment into everyday activities.”

Pandemic stress and public health

Chronic stress is a significant public health concern in the United States, linked to a wide range of health problems including heart disease, diabetes, depression, and anxiety.

External factors like the pandemic, economic uncertainty, and social issues can exacerbate stress levels and contribute to mental health diagnoses.

For the analysis, Shen and study co-author Zoe Crawley divided a group of more than 500 U.S. adults into two subgroups based on their levels of playfulness, as measured by the Adult Playfulness Trait Scale.

Shen noted that highly playful individuals actively altered challenging situations, found creative substitutes for what was lost, viewed obstacles as opportunities for growth, and maintained a strong sense of control over their responses.

Perhaps most revealing, she added, was that while the highly playful didn’t necessarily engage in different activities or do them more often than their less playful counterparts, they experienced those activities with higher quality – demonstrating greater immersion, activeness, and positive affect.

Playful people during the pandemic

Shen describes the approach of creating positive experiences amid adversity as “making lemonade from lemons.”

This is deeply connected with resilience as it combines realistic assessment with flexible problem-solving, which offers a clear demonstration of how personality traits like playfulness shape our responses to stress.

“Highly playful people were just as realistic about COVID-19 risks and challenges as others, but they excelled at ‘lemonading’ – creatively imagining and pursuing the positive, discovering ways to create moments of joy even in difficult circumstances,” said Shen.

Playful advantage in a pandemic

While it has been widely accepted that playful people “reframe” situations to make them more enjoyable, these findings suggest that it is not about wearing “rose-colored glasses.”

Playful individuals maintain their ability to view reality as it is while finding the silver linings.

Shen emphasized that playfulness doesn’t distort reality – it enhances it, offering specific ways in which this trait helps individuals navigate challenging times.

Playfulness can be cultivated

The study also suggests several approaches to cultivate playfulness, including engaging in activities that provoke joy and curiosity, embracing new experiences, creating opportunities for spontaneous exploration, spending time with inspiring, fun-loving people, and appreciating moments of silliness and humor.

“A key to all of this is focusing on the quality of engagement rather than simply doing what might be called play activities. True playfulness doesn’t require a playground, games, or toys. It’s about bringing a spirit of openness, flexibility, and fun to everyday moments,” noted Shen.

She also emphasized that setting aside time for play can be beneficial, providing a safe space to express and practice playfulness.

Navigating life’s biggest challenges

No matter how occupied you might be, dedicating five to ten minutes daily for a small dose of play can make a meaningful difference in your life.

This research represents a significant step toward understanding the role of playfulness in helping individuals navigate challenging situations.

In the context of our current global challenges – whether economic uncertainty, environmental concerns, or public health crises – the insights are invaluable.

The full study was published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology.

—–

Like what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates. 

Check us out on EarthSnap, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

—–